Summer Travel with Kendra Thornton
Hope you enjoyed Travel Publicist Kendra Thornton’s summer travel tips! As a trusted travel insider, her secret travel agent info will come in handy for you and your family. After all, any money saved is a welcome addition to time spent traveling.
Here are more of Kendra’s summer travel tips:
Travel Planning
An important tip for travelers is that the best deals can be found online. For example, right now, Expedia.com is holding the biggest sale in its history! Many of the hotels participating in the sale are offering customers “freebies” such as spa credits, food and beverage credits and gift cards. Plus, you can find up to 30% off hotel and package bookings on the nearly 11,000 hotel properties featured in the sale. And if you make a qualifying booking by July 4th, you will receive a free $50 dollar gas card. With gas prices as high as they are, we all need one of those!
Another thing you may not know is that Tuesdays generally hold the best deals to find ticket prices and the cheapest day to fly is usually Wednesday, followed by Tuesday and Saturday. Early morning flights tend to be most cost-effective and help maximize your time at your destination as well!
If you see one airline offering a certain price point and there are other carriers you are enrolled with that fly the same route, keep checking your top choice. Airlines usually follow each other in the release of discount fares.
Don’t forget about parking! Reserve your airport parking spot in advance. One great site, Parknflynetwork.com, offers nationwide airport parking, and travelers who book online in advance are guaranteed a parking spot. You also save money by paying in advance. This way, there is no fee when exiting. This is great when traveling during busy holiday or summer travel seasons.
Using Social Media
Travel is such a social experience. We plan our trips based on recommendations, travel with our friends and family, and later want to share our memories. Visa’s Memory Mapper application uses Google Maps satellite technology and a user’s own photos, videos and captions to chronicle a visual story of their travels for a unique keepsake to share with friends and family via Facebook, email and Twitter. Create your own for your summer travels at www.facebook.com/visa.
Here’s another tip; find your favorite airlines, hotels, and other travel related companies on Facebook or Twitter and “friend”, “like” or “follow” them. This way, you can get timely access to private sales and special discounts not always advertised to the public.
Twitter is a great way to put yourself out there and see what will come back to you. So tweet wish list destinations, upgrades and travel woes – it can all pay off!
Travel Destination Ideas and tips
Finicky teens are easily the hardest age group to plan for! So for cool travel ideas for tween and teens (5th – 12th graders), look into opportunities to expand their world views, stretch horizons and build lifelong friendships. People to People Student Ambassador Programs does just that! They provide authentic cultural experiences that extend the classroom and bring textbooks to life. Parents can learn more at www.peopletopeople.com.
Even if you don’t have the budget or vacation time for an extended trip, plan weekend getaways. One way to save on weekend trips to major cities like New York, Chicago or San Francisco is find out where the financial/business districts are and check hotel rates that cater to business travelers. While the rates are typically high during the week when they are full of professionals, you’ll often find great deals on the weekends when most visitors are tourists and looking to stay near all of the well-known areas for theater, shopping, etc.
Destinations
But don’t forget your main travel purpose…the destination! Here are some thoughts on hot spots to consider:
- Seattle is one of America’s most unique destinations, and summer is definitely the time to go. The sun is out, the skies are clear and the temperatures are comfortable. Granted, hotel rates are higher and tourists are prevalent, but the weather makes for a more than fair trade-off.
- Montreal is a great choice for travelers looking for a taste of European culture without the trans-Atlantic flight. Fascinating historic sites, hundreds of shopping venues, world-class eateries and a pulsating nightlife scene will keep you busy for at least a week.
- If you thought the Caribbean was off-limits due to tropical storm threats, you’ll be happy to hear that Aruba’s location outside the hurricane belt makes this island a great summer getaway spot. Home to stunning beaches, thriving cities and the rugged terrain of Arikok National Park, Aruba offers a variety of ways to fill your days.
- For travelers who want a change from the beach, summer is the perfect time to try traditional winter destinations. You can get great deals and stunning landscapes. Places like Tahoe, Vail, Aspen and Telluride offer hiking, water sports, and landscapes – all without needing a heavy parka!
- Summer may be Myrtle Beach’s busy season, but with increased air service and free events night and day all season long, it can also be a time to find a vacation full of affordable fun. With tens of thousands of rooms in the Myrtle Beach area, travelers should still be able to find a variety of options to suit different budgets and vacation styles.
- San Diego is the new Orlando, with a range of family-friendly resorts, great spas, a fun and safe nightlife and lots of regional attractions like SeaWorld, the Zoo and the beach.
- Summer is the perfect time for families to explore a major city, when great weather and fewer crowds allow a leisurely pace. New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago or Boston are all terrific for exploring museums and exhibits while also offering kid-friendly parks, restaurants and activities.